Safety Features That Make Today’s Cars Safer

Today’s cars have come a long way when it comes to safety. It was not too long ago when a vehicle’s main safety feature was the seatbelt. Car manufacturers continue to develop advanced safety features aimed at preventing accidents from occurring, rather than reducing the severity of injuries after an accident happens.

The following are examples of some of the latest safety features that can be found in most new cars today, including many affordable car models.

• Adaptive cruise control: This system will automatically apply your brakes if you have your cruise control set to a certain speed, and you catch up to the car in front of you. This helps reduce driver fatigue on the highway. This feature is available in most cars, including some of the more affordable models like the Mazda3 and the Hyundai Elantra.
• Automated parallel parking: This system actually helps the driver parallel park by controlling the steering while the driver handles the shifting and the braking. This is available in many affordable models including the Chrysler 200 midsize sedan.
• Automatic emergency braking: Carmakers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) came to an agreement that this should be a standard feature in almost all cars and light trucks by 2022. The system will apply the brakes if it senses an imminent collision. This is a potentially life-saving feature that is also available in many lower-cost cars, including the Nissan Sentra.
• Blind-spot monitoring: This system is available in approximately 73 percent of 2017 models. When the system detects a vehicle in the rear corners of the car, it will light up the side mirrors. This is another feature that is available in many affordable models like the Honda Fit.
• Forward collision warning: This system will alert the driver if he or she approaches a slower or stopped vehicle and shows no sign of slowing down. This feature can help prevent many distracted driving accidents, which are at an all-time high. The Chevrolet Spark is an example of an affordable car with this feature.
• Lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist: The lane-departure warning system will beep, vibrate, or give a visual cue if you drift out of your lane. Lane-keeping assist will make minor steering or braking corrections to help keep the vehicle in its lane. This feature is also helpful in preventing distracted and drowsy driving accidents. It is available in some affordable car models, like the Ford Fusion.
• Rear cross-traffic alert: This gives the driver a warning signal if there is another vehicle or person approaching as they are backing up. This is particularly helpful when backing out of a parking space in a busy parking lot. This does not detect everything, though, so drivers should not depend solely on this system when backing up. An example of an affordable car with this feature is the Kia Optima

While all these safety features help prevent accidents, there is no accounting for poor driving practices on the part of those you share the road with.

Baltimore Car Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Obtain Compensation for Car Accident Victims

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident, contact the Baltimore car accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton at your earliest convenience. Our skilled team will seek the maximum financial compensation you deserve and ensure that your legal rights are protected at all times. To set up a free, confidential consultation, call us at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent injured victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.